| There is no denying it: Ottawa is known
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| | concessions and special entertainment or
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| is one of the coldest capitals in the
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| | information areas. Well represented of
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| world (only as far as temperatures are
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| | course is a famous Ottawa trademark: the
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| concerned though). But does that mean you
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| | Beavertails concession booths which sell
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| stay at home during the winter and mope?
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| | freshly made warm pastry, sprinkled with
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| Absolutely not! Ottawa has turned a
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| | sugar and cinnamon. The perfect snack and
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| potential liability into a key asset and
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| | energy source on a cold winter's day.
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| really shows us how to celebrate winter.
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| | At the Via Rail Concord Station Rest Area
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| First there is Winterlude, Ottawa's
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| | an exhibit shed light on Ottawa's
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| winter festival, which is being held this
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| | railroad history. Apparently many years
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| year from February 3 to 19, 2006.
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| | ago, trains would arrive in downtown
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| Winterlude is apparently attended by more
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| | Ottawa right next to the Rideau Canal. At
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| than 650,000 winter revellers and
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| | Fifth Avenue, young sports fans were
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| encompasses a myriad of events: concerts,
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| | enjoying the Canadian Tire JUMPStart
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| special events, culinary demonstrations,
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| | Activity Centre where they were jumping
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| restaurant festivals and the list goes
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| | through the air on a trampoline system
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| on. Skating on the Rideau Skateway, at
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| | and putting their hockey skills to the
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| almost 8 km the world's largest icerink.,
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| | test.
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| was our main reason for coming to Ottawa.
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| | At Pig Island a special area with teepees
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| Indeed we had travelled to Ottawa about 3
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| | was set up to get a taste of Aboriginal
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| years ago and due to warm weather
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| | traditions, culture and cuisine. In
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| Winterlude was a total washout for us
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| | addition the area featured a loggers'
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| that year (I guess the appropriate term
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| | exhibit, a snowshoe-making workshop and
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| for that event would be "Waterlude").
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| | aboriginal songs and drumming.
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| But our earlier experience didn't deter
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| | Once arrived at Dow's Lake I went on to
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| us, so this year Theresa and I decided to
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| | explore the 26th Annual Bed Race, a
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| come back and pray for better weather so
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| | fundraising event which proved to be an
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| we would indeed be able to check out this
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| | absolutely hilarious experience, for a
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| phenomenal skating and entertainment
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| | good cause no less. The Bed Race is
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| venue for ourselves.
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| | organized by the Ottawa Kiwanis Club and
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| Incidentally, the Rideau Canal Skateway
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| | the proceeds, close to $50,000 will go
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| has been recognized by the Guiness Book
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| | towards the Children's Read-A-Thon.
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| of World Records as the world's largest
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| | A young hockey star tests his skills at
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| naturally frozen ice rink. The skateway
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| | the Canadian Tire JumpStart Activity
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| is 7.8 kilometers long and takes you from
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| | Centre
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| the Rideau Bridge all the way to Dow's
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| | But I had more to cover, so I started
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| Lake.
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| | skating back towards the downtown and by
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| We got going early just around 10 am on
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| | this time the skateway had filled up
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| an absolutely perfect winter day, but
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| | quite a bit. It seemed like young and
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| even at that time, the skateway was
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| | old, the whole family was out. Parents
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| packed, and the walkthrough over the
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| | were pulling their children on little
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| frozen ice from Confederation Park to the
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| | sleds, or even pushing them in
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| skateway entrance on the other side of
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| | all-terrain baby carriages. Everybody was
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| the river was chock full with people in a
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| | having a ton of fun.
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| long lineup.
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| | On the way back one person struck my
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| We laced up our skates and put our boots
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| | attention: a young lady on red skates
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| in our backbacks which would give us the
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| | with red gloves and a red scarf was
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| flexibility to get off the ice at any
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| | skating down the canal, juggling,
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| time and continue our explorations on
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| | apparently just having a ball of a time.
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| foot. Or if we got too tired, we could
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| | I approached her to find out a bit about
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| even hop on the "Sno-Bus" which connects
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| | her. She introduced herself as Sylvie,
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| Dow's Lake with Confederation Park during
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| | and shared with me that she is part of a
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| the entire Winterlude Festival for the
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| | juggling family and that juggling is in
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| low fee of $2.50 (more information on the
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| | her blood. She said that juggling is her
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| OC Transpo site) .
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| | life, and although she doesn't drive the
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| But, apparently we didn't need a Sno-Bus,
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| | fanciest car, she is happy because she
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| we skated our way down on this wonderful
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| | gets to do what she loves.
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| natural ice surface all the way to the
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| | After all this skating I got really
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| lake and didn't even need to rest. On
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| | hungry, so I took off my skates and
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| this gorgeous day with crystal blue skies
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| | simply headed up to the Rideau Centre,
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| and perfect winter weather and amazingly
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| | one of Ottawa's biggest shopping centres.
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| no winds, skating on the Rideau was a
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| | It is located right next to the Canal and
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| phenomenal experience. We could indeed
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| | was positively packed on this day. The
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| not have picked a better day to explore
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| | Rideau Centre offered a welcome
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| the Rideau Canal on skates.
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| | opportunity to warm up and catch a nice
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| At different intervals along the way
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| | lunch in its food court.
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| there were a variety of rest areas, food
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